Anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time on the golf course knows that the most frustrating part of the game is the handful of shots each round that, had they gone better, would have carded a fantastic score. Of course, what sets the great golfers apart from the weekend hackers is the ability to focus on what went wrong on those shots and correct the mistakes.

Junior Ryan Conn is living proof that those mistakes can be corrected with enough time and passion. Having come up short for two years in his bid to make the Wisconsin men’s golf team, Conn persevered and finally made the team as a walk-on this season. The thing that is so amazing about his story is that he not only improved enough to make the team, but enough to make the five-man traveling squad as well.

“That speaks volumes about the character of Ryan Conn,” said head golf coach Jim Shuman. “That he took the time to get better all on his own.”

What really set Conn apart was his enthusiasm for the game and his “never-say-never” attitude.

“He’s got an enthusiasm for golf that really struck [the coaches],” said Shuman.

Fellow junior golfer Brian Brodell concurred with his coach, adding, “Everyday it seems like it’s a great day in Ryan Conn’s life, and when you take that to the golf course, good things are going to happen.”

Good things have happened to Conn, who has taken the chance to play on the five-man tournament team and run with it, playing in seven of the eight tournaments the Badgers have competed in this year. With only four of the five golfers’ scores counting toward the team total, Conn has been in that foursome during every event but one.

“I’m not where I’d like to be, but I’m learning and getting better,” said Conn of his consistent middle-of-the-pack finishes. “I’m not shooting lights out, but I haven’t shot myself out of anything, either.”

Conn was not recruited out of high school but knew that no matter where he went to college, he would like to keep golfing. After deciding on Wisconsin, Conn got his education in order and then set his sights on golf.

“I wanted to go to a big school with great academic opportunities,” said Conn. “Golf just sort of fell into place.”

It did not exactly fall into place, as Conn twice tried to walk on under former coach Dennis Tiziani but failed to make the cut. This year Conn went through a four-round try-out just to get the chance to come back for the real team try-outs. After his scores caught first-year coach Shuman’s attention, Conn proceeded to play well throughout the final stages of the trial rounds to earn a spot on the team.

While Conn is the only walk-on to join the eight-man roster this season, Shuman confirmed that finding players like him was a priority to having a strong and deep program.

“Sure, you’re going to get great players out of the American Junior Golf Association events and the Future Worlds Tour, but there’s a whole other group of players that don’t have access to those kinds of events,” said Shuman. “A big part of our recruiting process is making sure we don’t overlook the junior golfers who don’t have the same opportunities.”

For Conn, making the team has been a real learning experience. From managing the courses to managing his shot selection, there were a lot of little things to learn that are difficult to teach yourself.

“I’ve improved a lot since joining the team,” said Conn. “The mental approach and the experience of coach Shuman and the other players, that’s the biggest improvement for me.”

While a professional career in golf might be a bit of a stretch for Conn, the experience will undoubtedly help him. As a successful student in accounting and finance, Conn expects to end up somewhere in the business world, where he knows golfing will still play a part in his life.

“You know golf and business go hand-in-hand,” said Conn.

With his charisma and can-do attitude, success is sure to follow Conn no matter where he goes. He proved he can do anything he sets his mind to by improving his golf game enough to not only make the team this year, but make a positive impact. While his future remains undecided, it is certainly bright, and Conn assures it will be filled with golf.

“I love playing golf, so no matter what I end up doing, I’ll fit some golf in.”